Attacker narrowly avoids jail

A DRUNKEN assault on a man who was knocked from his bar stool almost saw the culprit sent to jail on Tuesday.

James McDonald, 42, of Laurel Grove, Stranraer, admitted pushing Ronald Mathieson from his stool in Rudi’s Bar in the town in July.

The court heard he then stomped on Mr Mathieson’s head, causing bruising and tenderness, but that Mr Mathieson declined medical assistance. The two were not known to each other.

Sheriff Kenneth Robb told McDonald that he was torn between putting him in jail to protect the public from his drunken behaviour and giving him the opportunity to pay the community back and prove himself.

He imposed a community payback order of 300 hours, but added: “This is the maximum I can give you but I have some hesitation over whether that’s enough.”